His Hope
by GreatDarkProtection
Summary: Grant Ward only has one thing...his most important thing.


The first time he loses his necklace, he has a panic attack. It's nothing special, just a leather chord with a gold dog paw pendant, but he was eight and it was the most important thing to him. His Gramsy helped him look for it in the backyard for hours. Grant's sure it had fallen into the well earlier today and was about to give up and mourn its loss when Dana walks up to him, still damp and shivering from when he "fell" into the well, and holds out his tiny little fist, dropping Grant's necklace into his outstretched hand. He was so relieved that he actually hugged the small boy, thanking him a thousand times over to which the younger Ward responded with a confused, but delighted look, for he was the one who had given it to him. Or made it for him, rather. Grant secures it back on his neck tightly, swearing to never take it off again.

The next time he loses it, it's out in the woods with Buddy. They had just come back from hunting, fat ducks hanging by their necks from his belt. He was reaching back to swat at a mosquito on his neck when he noticed its absence. He immediately turned back, Buddy trotting beside him, nervous as to how he would find a dark brown strip of leather on the dirt ground covered in autumn leaves. Buddy watched curiously as his new master sifted through the dirt frantically in search of something before putting his nose to the ground and rooting around in the dirt to find something for himself. The dog found something interesting just as Grant sat down, upset at the loss of his only piece of sentiment. Buddy, quite happy with his finding, begins to trot back to the camp ground to chew on his new toy.

Sighing, Grant lifts his head out of his hands where it had been resting mournfully.

"Buddy! Come back," he calls.

Buddy eagerly runs up to Grant, happy to show him his new prize. Grant couldn't be happier. Dangling out of the chocolate lab's mouth was his necklace, dusty and gnawed on but otherwise intact. Ward gently coaxed the leather out of the dog's mouth and he whimpered, hut soon got distracted by a squirrel scurrying up a tree to his right and Grant watched with affection as he barks at the small rodent, holding the necklace tightly in his hand. He really needs to secure it more tightly next time.

The third time he loses it, he's on a solo mission in southern Germany. He had been there for four days, twice as long as the intended stay and he was exhausted. His comms had gone down on day two and he had no way of telling the team he was safe. If he could just take one last guy out, he could get back to the Bus and Battleship with Skye. With a clean shot 100 feet away, he contacted the extraction team and set out to reunite with his team. When he was safely back on the Bus's cargo hold, he reached up to adjust his necklace only to notice it wasn't there. Panicking, he patted all his pockets and reached halfway down his shirt to see if it had fallen off. When he couldn't find it, he ran up to his bunk to check if he had left it in his room before the mission. Opening the door, he was surprised to find a sleeping Skye curled up in his bed wearing one of his shirts and clutching something in her hand. He walked slowly towards her, not really wanting to wake her up, but she stirred when he came to stand right beside her. She looked up at him groggily before registering who he was and jumping out of the bed, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Oh my gosh, thank God you're okay," she said, pulling away, "I was so worried when we lost communication and you were alone and it was such a dangerous mission and I'm just so glad you're okay."

Ward couldn't form a response as he stared at her chest. Or rather, what was resting against it. His necklace, with its soft leather and golden paw print, rest just under her collarbone, and he couldn't even describe the rush of relief he got from seeing it.

When he didn't respond, Skye looked down, noticing the necklace and blushed.

"Sorry. You left it in the bathroom right before the mission and I was really worried about you. I wanted to feel closer to you," she said as her fingers rubbed the soft leather, and he saw where she had worried it so much, the color had begun to fade slightly. He smiled softly.

"It's okay," he said, "You can wear it whenever you want."

Surprisingly, he meant it and he was so glad he said it because nothing could beat the smile she gives him in that moment. He swears it was brighter than the sun.

The fourth time he loses it, it's because prisoners aren't allowed to have anything potentially harmful on them. The necklace was roughly pulled off his neck as he entered the prison and he already knows better than to grab for it. He'll get it back when he gets out. If he gets out, he thinks miserably and watches them put all his personal belongings into a safe and locks it.

He is then shoved almost violently into a windowless white cell, and he just barely catches himself before he rams his shins into the metal bed frame. He lies back on the bed, staring at the smooth white ceiling and trying not to think about Skye or Fitz or anyone on the team, for that matter. He wishes he had his necklace so he could worry the leather between his fingers and twist the pendant around his fingertips. Playing with it always seemed to calm him down, and now that he didn't have it, it just made him more anxious. It didn't help that he was still thinking about Skye. If he closed his eyes, he could practically see her slide the necklace on right before a mission, kissing the pendant, swearing it was good luck before smiling and squeezing his hand, telling him to hurry back. He could feel her arms wrap around his waist when he came back and he fingertips brushing against the skin of his neck, raising goosebumps, as she secured the necklace back on his neck. But the thought of Skye's smile came the thought of her tears, and the feeling of her fingers ghosting over the skin of his neck came the feeling of her fist, strong and hard, making a cracking impact on his jaw. And as he stared at the bleak ceiling in his bleak cell, he swore that if he ever got out, he would make it up to her. Somehow, someday, he would.

The fifth time he loses his necklace, it's not really lost. It had been a year since he had rejoined the team after dying for Skye and the team in a fight that had killed her monster of a father. After becoming a member of the GH-325 club, he was invited to come back to the team on a sort of parole. He immediately accepted.

It was his first mission after a probation period where he did mostly paperwork and debriefs, and he was a little rusty. It had been a while since he had fought anyone and his target had actually managed to swipe his face with a knife before he took him out. It wasn't that bad, but it bled a lot, running down his face and coating his neck. After cleaning the wound, Simmons tsked, saying that his necklace was awfully dirty and should probably be thrown out. When he passionately refused, she offered to clean it for him. He agreed with a smile and sat on a stool, waiting patiently for Simmons to finish. Skye came in with a happy cry and threw herself at him, kissing him happily. When she pulled away, he smiled at her stupidly. After his death, she had worked really hard trying to forgive him and they had just recently decided to retry with the relationship they previously started. He had never been so happy.

Simmons walked up to him, holding his necklace out, "I'm afraid the blood stained in some places, but I was able to get most of it out," she stated as Skye secured it around his neck before placing a soft kiss to the underside of his jaw.

"It's okay, Simmons. Thank you."

She nodded happily before leaving to tend to Fitz, who was upset because he had been to a petting zoo that had no monkeys.

Skye toyed with the pendant around his neck, smiling when he kissed her temple.

"Why is it a paw print?" she asked quietly.

"I love dogs. Always have. Always will. My brother made it for me after our dog died when we were kids."

Skye smiled before kissing him again, "I think I might love you," she whispered against his throat.

He smiled widely before kissing the top of her head, "I think I might love you, too."

The sixth time he lost he his necklace, he technically doesn't lose it. He knows exactly where it is. Around the neck of the woman he loves. Two years after his first mission, the team had gathered together to celebrate the honorary birthday they had given Skye when she joined the team. She had opened all her other presents when Grant stood and announced he had another gift for her before reaching into his pocket and getting down on one knee. Skye gasped and the others looked on with a mixture of shock and joy, happy for the young couple.

"Skye," Grant started, "I love you more than anyone I have ever known. You are my best friend," Fitz made a noise of protest but no one paid him any mind, "and the love of my life. You forgave me after everything I did and I can't thank you enough for that. Will you marry me?" With that, he opened his fist to reveal his trusty necklace, soft and worn and oh so special. When she laughed in delight, he grinned.

"I wanted to give the most important person in my life the most important thing in my life."

"Thanks, mate," Fitz said, reaching for the necklace.

Skye slapped his hand away with a laugh, tears shimmering in her eyes. She launched herself into Grant's arms, knocking them both to the ground, and kissed him, pouring all her love for him into that kiss.

When they pulled away, he laughed.

"Is that a yes?" he asked and she nodded her head vigorously, reaching for the necklace, but he kept it, putting it on her himself. As she kissed him again, and everyone around them cheered, he felt so immensely lucky that he had found so many great people to spend the rest of his life with. His life may have started out terribly, but now he had an amazing new family and a wonderful fiancée. It couldn't get any better than that.

Soft from his brother's nervous fist clutching it, marked by teeth where Buddy had used it as a chew toy, faded in places where Skye's fingers had rubbed it so many times when he was on a mission, and darkened by the blood of a gash on his cheek from his first mission back on the team, his necklace was his only thing just for him. His most important thing. Now, the beautiful girl wearing the necklace sleeping on his chest and the amazing people that made his heart swell were the most important things to him and he wouldn't have it any other way. He couldn't have asked for a better group of people to call family and he was immensely grateful that they put their love and trust in him after everything that had happened. His love for them was not blood and cells and biologically bound, it was trust and newfound honesty and laughs and tears and memories. It was hope. And as long as Grant Ward had that, he had everything he needed.

So...What'd you think? Hope you liked it! And sorry I haven't posted anything for A Convenient Friendship recently, I hit some pretty bad writer's block. So if anyone has any awkward "meeting the family" dinner stories, I'd love to hear them. I'll try to update soon.


End file.
